July 22, 2015

The heart of summer may have passed, but the temperature in New York’s 19th District is only starting to warm up.

Democrats see it as a top-tier pickup opportunity, a rare open-seat House race in a tossup district that President Barack Obama won twice. The GOP is gearing up to defend it in a presidential election year that could include former Empire State Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton at the top of the ticket. Full story

In a memo to members of the state Legislature, state Senate President Andy Gardiner and state Speaker Steve Crisafulli said a map will be drawn and made public before the legislature convenes for the two-week session, where state legislators will have the ability to debate and amend it.

House Republicans’ campaign arm raised $400,000 more than its Democratic counterpart in June, according to figures provided to CQ Roll Call.

The National Republican Congressional Committee raised $7.3 million last month and had $15.4 million in the bank at the end of June. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee raised $6.9 million in the same time frame and ended the month with $14.4 million in cash on hand.

“Based on my record as a conservative who has gotten results in the United States Congress and who has advanced the conservative principles we ran on, I am asking the people of Florida to let me serve as their next United States Senator,” Jolly told the Tampa Bay Times.

July 17, 2015

Matthews introduced herself to voters when she kicked off her campaign in June. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Updated 5:28 p.m. | As she seeks the Democratic nomination in Maryland’s 8th Congressional District, political newcomer Kathleen Matthews might have a hurdle to jump in convincing Free State voters of her progressive bona fides.

Matthews, a former Marriot executive and a longtime D.C.-area TV news anchor, contributed $2,600 to Republican Sen. Roy Blunt of Missouri in 2014. During an appearance Friday on The Kojo Nnamdi Show on WAMU, Matthews was asked about the contribution.

A handful of Democratic candidates and committees have sent out fundraising and list-building emails denouncing Trump’s comments on Mexican immigrants. Both are crucial components for successful campaigns.

Two years after her unsuccessful run in 2010, McMahon spent another $50 with similar results in 2012. (CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Flash back to 2010, when moderate New England Republican Linda McMahon was on the Connecticut ballot to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Christopher S. Dodd. A self-funder, McMahon was one of several candidates who Republicans hoped could help flip the Senate.

But the former WWE executive went on to lose to Sen. Richard Blumenthal by 12 points. McMahon wasn’t alone. Across the country, Republican Carly Fiorina fell well short of knocking off California Democrat Barbara Boxer.

July 16, 2015

On the heels of a fundraising quarter during which she was seriously out-raised by her Democratic rival, Rep. Donna Edwards said Thursday she disagreed with a proposal offered by Rep. Chris Van Hollen to try to keep outside money out of their race to replace outgoing Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski.

Van Hollen’s campaign manager emailed Edwards’ campaign manager Thursday morning asking her to join Van Hollen in signing the “Free State Pledge,” a proposal that would require the two campaigns to pay 50 percent of the cost of an outside-financed advertising buy to a charity of the opposing candidate’s choice.

Let’s say you’re running for president. Your opinion on a major policy issue is sought after by journalists and voters alike. As a senator, you can step in front of one of the Capitol’s many microphones at pretty much any point and command an audience. But now that you’re seeking the presidential nomination, things get a little trickier.

The perceptions, at least. And maybe also with the Senate Rules and Administration Committee.

If Vitter is elected Louisiana’s next governor, political dominoes there could quickly start to fall. (Photo By Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call)

For a number of ambitious Republicans in Louisiana, a whole lot hinges on the state’s gubernatorial election later this year — and Sen. David Vitter.

Vitter is one of four candidates facing off in the Pelican State’s “jungle primary” in October. He will be up against two other Republicans and one Democrat in a race that, unless a single candidate gets half the vote, would advance the two top candidates to a runoff in late November. Full story

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s entrance into the 2016 presidential race also meant the unveiling of his campaign logo: a bolded version of his last name with an American flag standing in for the letter “E.”

Professional designers for the most part were not impressed with Walker’s logo — especially given its similarity to the logo of eyewear company America’s Best Contacts & Eyeglasses. And the general consensus on his logo and those of his rivals? A resounding “meh.”